October 2013 - The Culture Mom

31Oct

Good Reads

Now that I'm commuting to the city, I'm finding myself with seventy minutes more than I ever had before, time for some good reads. It's time to myself, with no interruptions and no one to worry about. I can literally keep my head down for an extended period of time. Since I live in a small town, there is always the chance of bumping into people on the way in that I have to spend time talking so I do my best to avoid talking types (and I'm quite sure they try to avoid me, as well). It's a quiet ride, and I'm doing my best to stay off my phone and Read More

26Oct

Review: The Snow Geese, a Chekhovesque Production

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The first time I saw Mary Louise Parker was in Craig Lucas' Prelude to a Kiss in 1987 on Broadway. She was a shining star as the lead role as Rita, cast opposite Timothy Hutton. I was a high school student studying drama and she became one of my theater heroines. Over the next 10+ years, I would see her flourish on stage in Hedda Gabler, How I Learned to Drive and Proof. She has so much to offer on stage. Funnily enough, when I saw her in 1987, I was starring in a Chekhov play as the family matriarch. Her current role in a Chekhovesque Read More

21Oct

Are You Lost in Suburbia?

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Join us for a twitter party to celebrate the launch of Lost in Suburbia Stories, a new site that celebrates the challenges of being a mom. Are you lost in suburbia? It's much more than needing directions when you get off the Turnpike. It happens to a lot of women after having kids, and it's easy to think you're alone. But you're not. Talk to any mom after she's given birth and you'll find we all have a similar story. One that involves a changing identity, a new waistline and new challenges. Tracy Beckerman, the author of Lost in Suburbia: A Read More

20Oct

The Soupmaker’s Kitchen by Aliza Green

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When I make homemade soup, I'm a hero in my house. My family loves soup. Butternut squash, lentil, broccoli, cauliflower. Whatever I make, they love. Best of all, besides the mutual soup admiration club, I always feel good that I'm serving something healthy. Pureed vegetables with water or milk and very little else, what can be better than that? I also love the fact that a pot lasts several days and takes us through several meals. There is no downside (except the cleanup). According to a new book THE SOUPMAKER'S KITCHEN (Quarry Books, July 2013, Read More

19Oct

Angel Heart Music Storybook

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The haunting, evocative music storybook Angel Heart, released in September as a deluxe CD package, makes its New York premiere as a live multimedia family concert narrated by actor Chris Noth at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall this Monday, October 21. Hailed as “a fairy tale for the digital age” (Wall Street Journal), Angel Heart enjoyed a sold-out world premiere at UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances earlier this month. With a new story by best-selling children’s fantasy writer Cornelia Funke, interspersed with lullabies and songs arranged for voices, Read More

18Oct

I’m a Netflix Binge-Watcher

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According to Wikipedia, binge-watching, also called binge-viewing, is the practice of watching television for longer time spans than usual, usually of a single television show. Binge-watching as an observed cultural phenomenon has become popular with the rise of online media services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime with which the viewer can watch television shows and movies on-demand. We've been Netflix members for about a year and recently joined the Apple TV universe and now I am an official binge viewer. First, let me say that I've Read More

18Oct

A Mouth-Watering Meal at Plates

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Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, the region’s largest dining event, is returning Nov. 4-17. This popular event, spanning 114 miles and seven counties, is among the largest Restaurant Week events in the country, bringing together farmers, chefs and local purveyors to support the local economy and showcase the farm-to-table movement that makes the Hudson Valley a premiere culinary destination. The list of restaurants is extensive and includes some of our favorites and some places we've yet to try including Red Hat on the River, Tarry Lodge, X20 Xaviars Read More

18Oct

An Irish Family Vacation Part 3

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Our recent Irish Family Vacation was a one of a kind. For the first few days, we were tourists and for the second half of our trip, we stayed with friends which took the trip to a completely different level. If you haven’t experienced a family trip that involves staying with another family who are close friends, I highly recommend it. Besides the fact that it’s highly economical (you eat out less, for one thing, and you save money on accommodations), it’s also a far more enjoyable experience with familiarity, comfort and companionship. It also presents Read More

14Oct

A Twitter Party to celebrate SOME NERVE

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One woman's quest to conquer her fears and embrace life - and to inspire others to do the same. Fears. We all have them. Some we carry through our whole lives. Others we face head on, but the road to get there is never easy. At age 39, author Patty Chang Anker decided it was time to face the fears that had taken root like weeds in her life. She learned to dive into a pool and surf in the ocean and faced fear of losing control, bodily harm and being seen in a swim suit. It became her mission to help others do what they couldn't before, Read More